Taking a closer look at the best and worst moves made by the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason.
After a first-round NBA Playoff loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers, the Memphis Grizzlies entered the offseason with some big questions to answer. Not only did they need to make tangible upgrades to the roster but they also needed to carve out a new identity while also righting the ship that had fallen off course along the way. Losing to the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs could end up being the blessing in disguise that the Grizzlies needed.
From a talent perspective, the Grizzlies are on par with nearly every other team in the Western Conference (with the exception of the Phoenix Suns; who are clearly head and shoulders above almost every other team in the league). On paper, the Grizzlies should finish as a top 3 seed in the West again. Even more so after the additions the team made during the offseason.
Can the Memphis Grizzlies right the ship after taking a step back?
The Grizzlies will have their hands full in trying to get back on course after a rough end to last season. And it all starts with Ja Morant. After the distraction that he became last year, he’ll have to prove he can still be a consistent face of the franchise for the Grizzlies. He has a lot of rebuilding to do and he’ll have to do so through his play.
If the Grizzlies can survive the first 25 games of the season without Morant (suspension), with the moves made this offseason, there’s a very real chance Memphis could emerge as the second-best team in the West.
Let’s take a look back at some of their best and worst moves of the offseason.
Best offseason moves made by the Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies entered the NBA offseason with the need to improve around the edges. And that’s exactly what they managed to do this summer.
Acquire Marcus Smart
The biggest offseason move made by the Grizzlies this summer included the addition of Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics. This is a move that makes sense on multiple levels for the Grizzlies, but the hope is that Smart could be a piece that allows them to make the proper jump to contenders in the Western Conference.
This past season, the Grizzlies took a step back. Especially in the playoffs. Adding Smart could help them take that step back up.
Signing Desmond Bane to an extension
Desmond Bane is probably one of the most underrated stars in the NBA. The Grizzlies did well by locking up Bane to a five-year contract extension. There are some who are going to question whether he was worth the money, but he’s been the perfect supporting star next to Ja Morant thus far.
Bane is coming off a season in which he averaged 22 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game on 48 percent shooting from the field and 41 percent shooting from 3-point range. He’s been extremely productive and continues to get better as a player. It was a very necessary move by the Grizzlies.
Worse offseason moves made by the Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies didn’t have a ton of questionable moves this summer, but there were two that could be thrown into the conversation.
Losing Dillon Brooks
While I agree, for the most part, that the Grizzlies will be better off in the long term without Dillon Brooks, I’m not going to sit here and say that they won’t miss him. For as much as Brooks struggled last season on the offensive end, he was a great and versatile defender. He also added a level of toughness that the Grizzlies will miss.
The hope is that Marcus Smart helps fill in some, if not all, of that loss. However, that’s no guarantee.
Ja Morant suspension
Even though the Grizzlies didn’t have any control over the suspension that Ja Morant was hit with (25 games), it’s certainly something that is going to have a big impact on the team’s early portion of the season. And that’s the biggest reason why I had to include it in this spot.
Actions have consequences and it’s hard to imagine how Morant’s suspension doesn’t have a negative impact on the Grizzlies this season. At the very least, the Grizzlies are going to get off to a rough start and their playoff seeding will likely be affected by it. Either way, it’s far from an ideal scenario for the Grizzlies.